No. 240 Squadron RAF

No. 240 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force flying boat and seaplane squadron during World War I, World War II and up to 1959. It was then reformed as a strategic missile squadron, serving thus till 1963.

No. 240 Squadron RAF
Active20 Aug 1918 - 15 May 1919
30 Mar 1937 - 31 May 1946
1 May 1952 - 1 Nov 1958
1 Aug 1959 – 8 Jan 1963
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
RoleAnti-submarine warfare
Maritime patrol
Strategic Missile Force
Motto(s)Icelandic: Sjo-Vordur Lopt-Vordur
(Translation: "Guardian of the sea, guardian of the sky")[1]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryA viking helmet[1]
Squadron CodesSH (Apr 1939 - Sep 1939)[2]
BN (Sep 1939 - Jun 1942)[3]
L (May 1952 - 1956)[4]
240 (1956 - Nov 1958)

History

Formation and World War I

No. 240 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed at RAF Calshot on 20 August 1918 to provide anti-submarine protection, using its Short 184s seaplanes and Felixstowe F2A flying boats. It was disbanded on 15 May 1919.[1][5]

Reformation and World War II
A Consolidated PBY Catalina of No. 240 Squadron based at RAF Stranrear as seen in 1941

The squadron was reformed at Calshot on 30 March 1937. It was at first equipped with Supermarine Scapas and after a year converted to Short Singapores, which were followed a year later by the Saro London, planning to convert later to Saro Lerwicks, but getting Supermarine Stranraers in June 1940 instead. March 1941 these were replaced with Consolidated Catalinas, to carry out anti-submarine patrols over the Atlantic Ocean. It then moved to India in March 1942 where it flew anti-shipping and submarine patrols from Red Hills Lake, where it was disbanded on 1 July 1945.[1][5] The squadron reformed that same day, 1 July 1945, from elements of 212 Squadron and 240 Squadron's Special Duties Flight. The squadron was continuing "special duties" into September 1945, evacuating Operation "Lunch" from the Andaman Islands on 7 September 1945.[6]The squadron converted to Short Sunderland Mk.Vs and moved to Ceylon in 1945, where it disbanded on 31 March 1946 at RAF Koggala.[1][5]

Post war: Shackletons and Missiles

On 1 May 1952 the squadron reformed again at RAF Aldergrove and was equipped with Avro Shackleton Mk.1a maritime reconnaissance aircraft. The squadron moved to Northern Ireland in June 1952, where it disbanded on 1 November 1958 at RAF Ballykelly by being renumbered to 203 sqn.[1][5]

The squadron reformed once again on 1 August 1959, as one of 20 Thor Strategic Missile (SM) squadrons, associated with Project Emily. The squadron was equipped with three Thor Intermediate range ballistic missiles, and based at RAF Breighton.[1][5] In October 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the squadron was kept at full readiness, with the missiles aimed at strategic targets in the USSR. The squadron was disbanded with the termination of the Thor Program in Britain, on 8 January 1963.

Aircraft operated
Aircraft operated by No. 240 Squadron RAF[1][5]
FromToAircraftVariant
Aug 1918May 1919Curtiss H-12
Aug 1918May 1919Fairey Campania
Aug 1918May 1919Felixstowe F.2a
Aug 1918May 1919Short 320
Aug 1918May 1919Short Type 184b
Mar 1937Jan 1939Supermarine Scapa
Nov 1938Jan 1939Short SingaporeMk.III
Jul 1939Jun 1940Saro LondonMk.II
Jun 1940Jan 1941Supermarine StranraerMk.I
Mar 1941Dec 1945Consolidated CatalinaMks.I, Ib & II
Jul 1945Mar 1946Short SunderlandMk.V
May 1952Nov 1958Avro ShackletonMR.1a
Jul 1953Aug 1954Avro ShackletonMR.2
Aug 1959Jan 1963Douglas ThorSM.75

Squadron bases
Bases and airfields used by No. 240 Squadron RAF
FromToBaseRemarks
20 August 191815 May 1919RAF Calshot, Hampshire
30 March 193712 August 1939RAF Calshot, Hampshire
12 August 19394 November 1939RAF Invergordon, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland
4 November 19391 April 1940RAF Sullom Voe, Shetland, Scotland
1 April 194027 May 1940RAF Invergordon, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland
27 May 194030 July 1940RAF Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales
30 July 194028 March 1941RAF Stranraer, Wigtownshire, ScotlandAlso flying Stranraer
28 March 194125 August 1941RAF Killadeas, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
25 August 19416 June 1942RAF Castle Archdale (Lower Lough Erne), County Fermanagh, Northern IrelandGround echelon left 29 March 1942
29 March 19424 July 1942En route to British India
4 July 19421 July 1945RAF Red Hills Lake, Madras, British India
1 July 194510 January 1946RAF Red Hills Lake, Madras, British IndiaReformation as Short Sunderland unit
10 January 194631 March 1946RAF Koggala, Ceylon
1 May 195225 May 1952RAF Aldergrove, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
25 May 19525 June 1952RAF St Eval, Cornwall
5 June 19521 November 1958RAF Ballykelly, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
1 August 19598 January 1963RAF Breighton, East Riding of Yorkshireas No. 240 (SM) Squadron

References
Notes
  1. Halley 1988, p. 307.
  2. Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 14.
  3. Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 22.
  4. Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 192.
  5. Jefford 2001, p. 78.
  6. NARA OSS History Record Group 226Entry 99,Box 126, India Burma Theater Report September 1945
Bibliography
  • Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
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